As the payment options for consumers of digital goods and services become more complex, in particular for customer-not-present transactions, the integration of SmartDebit's Direct Debit processing capability into Vindicia's CashBox platform now allows merchants the ability to offer their customers more payment options, thus reducing the complexity and cost normally associated with integrating with multiple payment processors.

The partnership comes at a time when Direct Debits are becoming a more prominent feature for the average bank account holder in the UK. Consumers of digital games, media, content and financial news expect online merchants to offer payment methods they prefer. As research increasingly suggests that Britain is moving towards a 'cashless society,' it has never been more essential for online digital merchants to ensure their payment offerings include Direct Debit for online transactions.

Adrian Jenkins, Vice President of Vindicia Europe, comments: "Vindicia is expanding our billing platform offerings to meet an increasing customer demand for recurring payment solutions. As we look to grow our footprint in the UK, Direct Debit processing is an increasingly important and popular payment option amongst merchants with digital content and services. Our partnership with SmartDebit provides a valuable addition to our payments portfolio."

Paul Simpson, Sales Director at SmartDebit, comments: "We are delighted to be partnering with a global subscription billing leader for their expansion into recurring payment methods in the UK. Our expertise in the Direct Debit industry will aid Vindicia to grow their business within key vertical industries. SmartDebit improves an organisation's cash flow and control, saving valuable time and money through automation. Outsourcing to SmartDebit provides a fully managed Direct Debit service including Project Management resource, processing, security and contingency."